Civil Discourse / Candidate Roundtable – Sheriff & Commissioner

This installment of Civil Discourse features a Candidate Roundtable for Grant County offices in the in the June 3, 2014 primary election.

This took place on May 14, 2014 with candidates for the offices of Grant County Sheriff and Commissioner and was moderated by Civil Discourse host Jamie Newton, joined by panelist Nick Seibel, Publisher and General Manager of the Silver City Daily Press. Participating were all three candidates for Sheriff – Republican opponents Raymond “Ray” Tavizon, Jr. and Charles William “Butch” Cassady, and incumbent Democrat Raul D. Villanueva – and Democratic candidate for District 1 Commissioner, Moses Clark.

Two candidates for Commissioner, unfortunately, declined to participate. Both Gabriel Ramos, a Democrat opposing Moses Clark for Commissioner (District 1) and Brett Kasten, a Democrat running unopposed for re-election as Commissioner (District 2), ), declined due to other commitments.

Between opening and closing statements by all candidates, the roundtable elicited vigorous discussion of such issues as whether law officers should inquire into the immigration status of victims and witnesses when investigating crimes, the power of the County Sheriff versus the federal government, protection of the natural environment and individual freedom to use public lands for private gain, and the meaning of political party affiliation. Most questions put to the candidates were submitted by members of the community in response to an invitation to do so from host Jamie Newton and panelist Nick Seibel.

Absentee voting in the primary election has been scheduled for May 6-30. Early voting in person may be done 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, May 17-31.

A list of Grant County candidates certified by the New Mexico Secretary of State may be found at https://candidateportal.sos.state.nm.us/candidatelist.aspx?eid=1&cty=99&reid=2 (https://candidateportal NULL.sos NULL.state NULL.nm NULL.us/candidatelist NULL.aspx?eid=1&cty=99&reid=2) .

Some election information is available on the County Clerk’s web page, at http://www.grantcountynm.com/grant_county_nm_info.php?CID=372 (http://www NULL.grantcountynm NULL.com/grant_county_nm_info NULL.php?CID=372). (As of May 15, 2014, however, links to such important documents as sample ballots did not function.)